Conventional instant hot Cappuccino dry-mix compositions are based on powder components such as dried coffee solids, dried milk solids with added flavors, stabilizers, and sweeteners. These coffee and milk concentrates are usually in a granular or particulate form incorporating a gas. The addition of boiling water or hot milk to these concentrates results in an instant beverage with a foam topping. The formation of a foamed phase above the coffee/milk liquid is due to physical or chemical means of gas incorporation into the milk solids. Cappuccino compositions of the above-discussed types are described in European Patent Application 01 54 192 and PCT Patent Application WO96/08153.
It has been found that the incorporation of gas into the powder can change the density of the powder making it more fragile. The amount of gas incorporated may thus be limited by limitations on the density of the powder. Furthermore, for some powder compositions, a high foam volume in the final beverage may be difficult to achieve.